POWELL MEETS THE ‘MASTER’ - KOREA UPDATE, AUGUST 29TH

Trackspeed1 coach John Powell realises a long-held ambition as he
meets the 'Master' of world sprinting, World 400m Record holder,
Michael Johnson

Trackspeed1 coach John Powell realised a long-held ambition in South Korea today – he met who he has always referred to as the ‘Master’ of world sprinting, Michael Johnson.

With both men guests of Nike at their week-long reception in the South Korean town of Daegu, which this week hosts the - World Athletics Championships, John seized the opportunity to add to the family album!

“I’ve been a life-long fan of Michael,” said John, “I have the utmost respect for him.  As an athlete he was one of the best the world has ever seen, and in recent years as coach and pundit he is one of the most perceptive and knowledgeable in the business.”

As if that weren’t enough, John then hooked up with sprints legend Don Quarrie.  The five times Olympian from Jamaica is a distant relation of one of John’s earier athletes, Commonwealth silver medallist multi-eventer Jamie Quarry, and John and Don recently hooked up in Manchester for a coaching seminar.

“The Nike reception is going on all week,” explained John, “and I am immensely grateful to them for inviting me in.”

Nike are the kit sponsors for treble European Junior medallist, David Bolarinwa, who has added to an outstanding season for Trackspeed1.  And that season could be rounded off with a sensational bang when James Ellington goes in the World Championship 200 metres heats on Friday.

“James is in shape,” said John, “but it’s the difficult time now.  The 200’s start late in the week, and all James wants to do now is run.  It’s just a question of managing his lifestyle, and being patient though I’m afraid.  If he runs to his true ability he will sail into the semi-finals, and that will be an absolutely herculean achievement by someone who has had no support whatsoever in recent years n terms of kit deal, sponsorship or lottery funding!”

John meets a second sprint legend at the Nike reception - five times
 Olympian, Don Quarrie.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS UPDATE FROM SOUTH KOREA: FRIDAY 26th AUGUST

The entrance to the athletes' village in Daegu.  204 countries have
converged on the South Korean venue to contest the 13th World
Athletics Championships

James Ellington has arrive with the first contingent of the British team in the athletes' village in Daegu, just seven days away now from his baptism in the World 200 metres Championship.


From the comparative peace and tranquility of the Ulsan holding camp some 70 miles away, this will have made it real for the 25-year-old south Londoner, with the full bustling environment of an Olympic Games created here with the best athletes on earth all converging on one venue.

It's still business as usual though, with a track session under the supervision of coach John Powell this morning (around 2am UK time!) which James found a punishing experience in rapidly increasing heat and humidity.

"James is in fantastic shape," said John, " but he found today's workout a tough test - as indeed he should.  Running three bends of 120m is a tough ask, let alone in 12.19, 12.18 and 12.31 seconds!  I don't normally publish training times, but anyone with knowledge of track sprinting will know that is seriously moving!

"James is very confident at the moment and long may that continue.  He's in the form of his life and he knows it."

This said, while the athlete is enjoying the excitement and buzz of the village, John's trip has been less than spectacular:

"It's no criticism of UK Athletics at all, but the system reall does fail a personal coach.  UKA have rightly prioritised their allocation of access passes, but I have had to beg for 3 day passes to see James in the village over the next week.  I won't get close to him for warm-up, let alone the race.  I don't even have tickets to watch as a spectator yet!

"It's a scandal that 13 years of building an athlete into a world class sportsman is rewarded with a huge overdraft at the bank to actually get here, and then no access to your athlete.  I'm far from the only one, but it really does leave a very sour taste in the mouth - you're treated almost like a second class citizen.  You don't get so much as a tee-shirt for guiding your athlete to the world's elite.

"It was the same last year with David Bolarinwa at the World Youth Olympics in Singapore: I remortgaged my house to get out there, and then got no accreditation at all - simply spectators' tickets!  The sport badly needs a re-think on a global scale."

James runs in his heat of the 200m on Friday next week (2nd September) in the dead of night at 3.10am UK time (11.10am local) and, if he qualifies for the semi-final, will run again at 7.55pm local, or 11.55am UK.

James and coach John Powell talk about plans for the week to come!

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: SOUTH KOREA UPDATE

James with coach John Powell leaving the training track at the British
holding camp in Ulsan, after a session with fellow Brit's Craig Pickering
and Harry Akinies Areetey

It's been a long time coming, but James Ellington's entry onto the world stage of sprinting now lies barely ten days away!


Meanwhile it's more of the same, with training sessions at the holding camp's local stadium in Ulsan, some 70 miles south of Daegu where the championships will be held.

"I'm feeling great," said James, "and the way my speed is going right now, it's a pity I didn't get a chance to run more 100's this year, because I reckon I would have run really fast."

It was a view echoed by his coach: "James's basic speed is awesome now, and he's really getting things together.  He was at least a match for his training partners today (Monday 22nd), and he finished the session with a fantastic run round the bend out of blocks.

"It's looking terrific for both 200m and the relay - it will take a truly world class opponent to keep up with him the way he is executing the bend right now.  I truly believe he is one of the most outstanding exponents of bend running our country has ever seen."

James is with the rest of the British team at their location slightly remote from daegu until the championships begin, when the team will move the short distance north west.  John is already in Daegu and is commuting by bus to and from the holding camp.

Meanwhile, a little closer to home, Trackspeed1's Omari Carr-Miller struck silver in the under-17 national championships, in Bedford, with a lifetime's fastest performance over 400 metres!


The sixteen-year-old Croydon Harrier clocked 48.66s - half a second faster than ever before - as he made sure another summer ravaged by injury did not peter out without a fight.


"Omari texted me at 3 in the morning in Korea," said coach John Powell, "but it was the best wake-up call anyone could ask for.  Omari is a huge talent, and this proves just that.  If he can winter well this next 8 months, he could be a candidate for the World Junior Championships, in Barcelona - at least as a member of the relay squad, if not as an individual in his own right.


It's been a very frustrating time for him with niggles that have kept him out of competition for so long, but I am delighted he is getting at least something out of his season, and a silver at nationals is a brilliant way to top off an albeit short season."

Check out this blog for regular updates from Korea as one of the best seasons ever for Trackspeed1 reaches its dramatic climax on the world stage!

ALL EYES ON SOUTH KOREA!

Well they are both over there now, and the big event awaits!  James Ellington travelled out to the British holding camp for the World Championships on Sunday, but coach John Powell arrived in Daegu today - after 30 hours of travelling via Dubai and Seoul!


The weather that greeted John in Daegu wasn't great - humid but wet, but that will be the last thing on his mind as he looks to support only his third ever athlete at a World Championships or Olympic Games.

"I'm shattered," he said after arrival at his Daegu hotel, "but I really don't care.  There's a job to be done here, and I'm determined James gets the best opportunity to perform, although the team set-up in the GB camp is excellent and will provide him with 99% of his needs,.  If I can add the final 1% then it's a worthwhile trip!"

Watch this blog for updates during the build-up to the World Championships, which start later this month.

OMARI STRIKES GOLD AT LAST!

Trackspeed1 quarter miler Omari-Carr-Miller had his patience rewarded at last yesterday (Sunday 7th), as he swept to victory in the South of England under-17 Championships, in Ashford (Kent).

After a catalogue of injuries that have severely tapered his competitive programme this year - as last - he demollished the field in the 400m final to record a lifetime's best of 49.19 seconds, adding his name to the vast array of personal bests set by his training squad this year.

The 16-year-old Croydon Harrier has barely raced this season due to a series of injuries, which would have seen many an athlete of his age quit the battle, but his perseverence certainly looks to have paid off.  Given his lack of training this summer - and a hugely limited winter programme - his achievement at Ashford was all the more impressive.

"Omari is an incredibly fragile, but hugely talented young athlete," said coach John Powell.  "He has missed alot of work this last two years, but he has done what he can, stuck with it most of the time, and has now been rewarded for his patience.

"I have to say though, that his performance is undoubtedly reflective of the immense support he has had from our therapy team who offer their services to the squad at training every week.  Lucy Eggleton and Greg' Funnell have been indispensible in Omari's rehabilitation, and I do hope that they will be the first people he will be saying thank you to at training this week.

As what is undoubtedly one of the most successful seasons inTrackspeed1's history enters its final stages, European Junior 200m Champion, David Bolarinwa returns to the track where he won is title, in Tallinn, Estonia, tomorrow.  There, he will contest a European Permit Meeting "BigBanks" while, closer to home, James Ellington will enter the final week of training in the UK before he leaves for the World hampionships, in Daegu, South Korea, on Sunday.

"We've had an unbelievable year," said John Powell, "and it's not over yet.  It's been job satisafactuion for me on an unprecedented scale!"

ELLINGTON RUBS SHOULDERS WITH THE WORLD'S BEST

Trackspeed1 sprinter James Ellington is off to the World Championships next Sunday (14th), and he is under no illusions about the job lying ahead of him after his Diamond League 200m today (6th) at Crystal Palace.

Competing on home turf as the local lad, the romantic end would have been a performance to savour, a personal best, a few scalps...  But in reality that represented a huge ask after a UK Championships weekend just six days earlier had emptied his tanks.

Qualification for the Worlds amounted to James' most outstanding achievement yet, in an illustrious track career, but this weekend was a step too far as he fought to a creditable seventh in the 200m, won by fastest man in the world this year Walter Dix (20.16s), with James clocking 21.03s, albeit not forgetting the -2.0 headwind.

The relay leg at the end of the meeting while representing one of two senior British teams was another story though, as James ran a blinder of a bend on third leg, ensuring they were the first British team home.  It was a performance that did not go unnoticed by team coaches, and the general thoughts now are that this 25-year-old could be running himself into a team spot at the World Championships, in Daegu, South Korea, later this month.

"Let's get real here," said coach John Powell afterwards, "this guy has fulfilled a dream in getting to the Worlds, and to ask for another peak perormance six days later was pushing it.  At the end of the day, his improvement this year has been immense.  He's competed in two Diamond Leagues for a start, and become a regular in the British Senior relay squad, quite apart from PB's in the sprints.  And we still have Daegu to come!"

Also in action at the Palace was Trackspeed1's European Junior 200m Champion, David Bolarinwa, who anchored the British Junior relay team home in the 4x100m relay, but unfortunately that team were disqualified for a faulty change.

Check out this blog for progress and updates from Tallinn as David returns to the track where he struck European Gold last month, this Tuesday, and then next week as coach John Powell flies out to Daegu to support James in the World Championships

ELLINGTON QUALIFIES FOR THE WORLDS!

Trackspeed1 sprinter James Ellington made the breakthrough of a lifetime yesterday (Sunday 31st July), as he blasted to second in the UK Championships and World Championship Trials 200 metres final, in the Alexander Stadium, Birmingham.  His performance guaranteed him selection to the World Championships, in Daegu, South Korea, later this month.

James Ellington collects his silver medal in Birmingham.  
His previous best finish in a UK Championships is sixth

For both athlete and coach, John Powell, who first hooked up when the now 25-year-old Newham and Essex Beagle was just 13, it was a hugely emotional performance, which realised a dream held for years.

Ellington clocked 20.91 behind race winner Christian Malcolm, but times were always going to be of no importance, as both athletes had already achieved the Daegu qualifying time, and had only to clinch gold or silver to comply with the selection criteria laid down by UK Athletics.

"Make no mistake," said an absolutely euphoric John Powell afterwards, " this achievement is absolutely massive.  James has had no lottery funding, no sponsorship, no kit deal, nothing.  He has achieved this through the adversity of a potentially career-terminating hamstring injury last year, and sheer hard graft.  

"Words could never describe just how proud I feel at this very moment.  I've watched James grow up, develop as an outstanding junior, become a father last year, and now he's off to rub shoulders with literally the best the world has to offer.  Fantastic!"

It's the best year in Trackspeed1 history since the golden year of 2003, when Chris Lambert landed gold in the European under-23 200m final and 4x100m relay, and gold in the World Student Games 100m - the latter of which were held in Daegu!

"I'll be going back to Daegu with fond memories of Chris and his gold medal there," said John.  "I really am having to pinch myself that this has happened.  I never wavered in my belief in James's ability, but you never really dare even think anything until the athlete has crossed the line.  I have never reacted at a race finish before as I did in Birmingham, and I guess that reflected just how much the whole deal meant.  I leapt out of my seat screaming - on reflection it's actually quite embarrassing!"

James will now have to prepare for the trip of his life.  He  leaves with the British team on Sunday 14th August to travel to Ulsan, 65 miles from Daegu, where the British holding camp is located pre-games.  He will transfer to Daegu on 24th, and compete in the first round of the 200 metres on 29th.  And Ellington could even come back as a medallist if the 4x100m relay team live up to expectations - he has already established himself as a huge asset on the home bend in internationals earlier this year.

John Powell has yet to settle his travel plans, but is likely to be near the front of the queue to speak to his bank manager this week!

"I've remortgaged my house three times already so I can support my athletes in major championships," he explained, "the last time was last year when I went with David Bolarinwa to the World Youth Olympics in Singapore.  It costs a bomb and coaches get nothing.  I'll be in Daegu come hell or high water, but it's going to be the economy trip!

The records will show that James's final in Birmingham was run into a -1.7m/s headwind which, if reversed, would have added a very healthy time indeed to a nevertheless outstanding performance.  Clearly in shape, the biggest highlight of his season may not yet have arrived!

Coach John Powell & protegee James Ellington are on the plane to Korea!